Dimuth Karunaratne is a solid left-hand opening batsman, and another alumnus of the St Joseph's College side that produced Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera, whom he also played with in the Sri Lanka Under-19 side. Karunaratne made his first class debut for Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in 2008, but had a quiet first season, batting largely in the middle order.

He secured a place in the top order in 2009, and began to score more consistently thereafter. His maiden first-class century, against Colts Cricket Club, heralded a deluge of 1186 runs in the season, at an average of 56.54. His prolific form earnt him a call-up for the Sri Lanka A team against visiting South Africa A, where he again impressed, making 184 against an attack that included Vernon Philander.

Karunaratne has not reproduced the same volume of runs since his second season, but has developed a reputation for making big centuries against good attacks. He played two ODIs for Sri Lanka in 2011, making 4 and 60, and was also included in the Test tour to South Africa later in the year, though he did not get a game.

He toured South Africa again in July 2012 though, with the A team, and impressed with scores of 83 and 150 not out on that tour. Soon after that, he found himself on the verge of a Test debut when he was chosen to open alongside SSC partner Tharanga Paranavitana, replacing the injured Tillakaratne Dilshan for the Test against New Zealand in Galle.Andrew Fernando

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